Sodexo, a food and facilities management services provider, has been awarded the Silver Fox certificate from The Security Watchdog, the national auditory body for the manned guarding industry. It’s in recognition of its agreement to enter its security services into a regular, independent testing.
Sodexo’s participation in the Silver Fox access audit, which tests efficiency of front-line security defences, is the latest step in what the company calls its drive to develop ‘Secure’ – its security services offering.
Comprised of three stages, the regular Silver Fox access audits will enable Sodexo to identify and rectify potential weaknesses in its security services and to test staff alertness and understanding of their duties.
Any site where Sodexo provides security services could now be subject to a Silver Fox audit. An independent assessor is able to attempt to enter the building or premises, check that staff are carrying valid ID cards and Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences, and report on whether operational procedures are being adhered to.
The auditor then calculates the site’s overall level of performance of across all three stages and grades the assessment with a pass or fail. A special commendation will be made where an individual member of staff has performed well above average at stage one.
Since Sodexo launched its ‘Secure’ offer, the number of sites where it directly supplies security services has doubled and the company’s participation in the Silver Fox scheme is intended to help increase this further.
The Silver Fox certificate is the latest in a number of initiatives to which Sodexo says it has committed as part of its commitment to customer service, staff training and the concept of compulsory licensing for all security staff.
Since June 2008, it has become the first company in the food service industry to be awarded Approved Contractor Scheme accreditation from the (SIA); and has become a member of the British Safety Council, the occupational health, safety and environmental organisation.
Kathy Ridgard, central operations director for Sodexo Corporate Services, said: "I am delighted to announce Sodexo’s participation in the Silver Fox programme. The certification is something we have been determinedly working towards and complements procedures we already have in place. It increases the power of our ‘Secure’ offer, which although relatively new, is expanding successfully with clear processes, effective tools and quality training procedures."
About Sodexo
In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs 45,000 people, and provides food and facilities management services to clients at over 2,300 locations in the corporate, education, healthcare, leisure and defence sectors.
Sodexo is part of the Sodexo Group, provider of food and facilities management services, with more than 375,000 employees at 30,600 sites in 80 countries.
